Sew the 2.5 x 9″ strips to the sides and press the seams. Repeat to make five red-centered (“jumping jacks”) blocks.

Repeat with the neutral 5″ blocks and their (31) sub-cut jelly roll strips from “pile one.” Arrange ALL blocks into six rows with six blocks per row. Once the arrangement is to your liking, retrieve the marked 2.5 x 2.5″ RED squares only. Snowball Blocks: Place one red 2.5 x 2.5″ square in each corner of the red-centered (“jumping jacks”) blocks. Place more in the corners of neighboring blocks that touch a “jumping jacks” block; the marked lines will form a diamond shape in each corner. Pin each red block firmly in place.

Before you begin stitching these blocks in place, you may also want to take a picture (or otherwise notate) your block arrangement so you won’t forget where anything goes. I usually just snap a picture with my phone’s camera.

Pin [penny gray] neutral 2.5 x 2.5″ squares in any corners that do not have a red one. Make sure the marked lines are oriented as indicated below (to form diamonds at the corners with neighboring blocks) and pin in place.

Stitch along the marked lines pinned in each corner.

Trim 1/4″ seam allowance at each corner. Open and press to form the finished snowball block.

Arrange all snowball blocks back into their designated places.

Sew the quilt-top in place by sewing the blocks into rows, then the rows together–lining up the seams and pinning in place beforehand. Press the quilt-top.

Retrieve the 2.5 x 9″ [penny gray] neutral strips and four 2.5 x 2.5″ squares. “Frame” the quilt with one neutral border strip next to each outside block with a 2.5 x 2.5″ square in each corners. NOTE: The border is broken up into strips to accommodate the completion of any red diamonds in the corners of “jumping jacks” blocks that may be on the outside of the quilt-top arrangement.

Sew the border strips together in order (omitting the 2.5 x 2.5″ corner blocks of the border) and add to the top and bottom of the quilt-top first.

Repeat to add the borders to the sides, this time including the 2.5 x 2.5″ border blocks at the beginning and end of each strip. Now we are going to add a second border. You will need the border fabric cut into six strips 4″ x WOF. Piece together 1-1/2 strips per side.

Add the top and bottom border pieces first; add the sides and square up before basting onto your batting and back fabric.

Be sure to insert safety pins to prevent the layers from shifting during the quilting process.

Quilt as desired. I did some freemotion squiggles.

After the quilting is completed, trim away the batting and back fabric. Square up the quilt.

Bind as desired. I cut seven strips 2.5″ x WOF and pieced on the bias.

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The individual designers featured on this website ultimately hold the copyright for their projects and designs posted on the Moda Bake Shop. Patterns are not intended for sale or digital distribution. All items made from Moda Bake Shop patterns are for personal, non-commercial use only, unless given explicit written permission from the design owner to sell finished products made from their pattern tutorials featured on the Moda Bake Shop.